Presenting....

Miter She Wrote

Jessica Fourpatch's Case #113

Join Jessica FourPatch for another romp into the unknown (for awhile, that is!) as you make this jazzy quilt top in your choice of three different sizes. It will keep you busy, but bar none - you'll have a great quilt top to show for it!

Part 8

There are a couple of options for laying out your "Chain and Bar" blocks which were originally designed by Nancy Cabot nearly 100 years ago. You can turn every other block 1/4 turn, so the Lights and Mediums in your large half-square triangles will alternate; or, you can set all of the blocks in the same direction so they'll make somewhat of a "Sunshine and Shadow" configuration, plus all of the Flying Geese will be "flying" in nice, even rows. The choice is entirely up to you.

Whichever layout you choose, you'll need to sew your 16 1/2" (unfinished size) blocks into four rows; you should have three blocks in each row (or five rows with four blocks in each row) [or six rows with five blocks in each row]. Then, matching seams, sew your rows together in order to assemble the main portion of your quilt top.

Adding Borders:

Your first border will consist of the 2 1/2" wide Light strips which you cut and pieced end-to-end back during Part 1 of this series (the ones which you may have wound around an empty paper towel tube).

Measure the length of your pieced quilt top. Cut two of your Light border strips to this length and sew one to each side of your quilt top. Press seam allowances toward your border strips.

Measure the new width of your quilt top, including the borders you just attached. Cut two more Light border strips to this length and sew them to the top and bottom of your quilt top. Again press seam allowances toward your border strips.

Your second and final border is the 4 1/2" wide Dark #2 strips which you cut and pieced end-to-end during Part 1 of this series (yes, the other ones which you may have wound around an empty paper towel tube!).

Measure the new length of your quilt top, including the first border you just attached. Cut two Dark #2 strips to this length and sew to each side of your quilt top. Press seam allowances toward your Dark #2 strips.

Measure the new width of your quilt top, including the Dark #2 border strips you just attached. Cut two more Dark #2 strips to this length and sew them to the top and bottom of your quilt top. Once more, press seam allowances toward your Dark #2 strips.

CONGRATULATIONS! You have just completed Jessica Four-Patch's Case #113! We hope you've enjoyed your venture into the unknown.

Jessica respectfully (of course!) requests that you sign, date and document your quilts, in order that quilt historians won't have quite so many "mystery quilts" to figure out in the future!